1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a holster support belt for supporting and securing gun holsters, tool belts and similar pouch systems, and more particularly, to a competition shooter's holster support system which provides an improved platform for securing and stabilizing a shooter's belt and holster attachment while supporting their lower back.
2. Description of the Background Art
Police officers, cadets, security personnel and competition shooters often experience lower back pain and injuries while shooting and moving through field courses because of inadequate back support. Long hours are spent carrying heavy equipment and shooting in various positions which places excessive stress and strain on the lumbar region of the back. As a result, old injuries are aggravated and new ones incurred by this additional pressure placed on the spine and surrounding muscles. To alleviate stress and strain in the lumbar region, the lower back requires flush support and stability not available with conventional holster systems. That is, conventional holster systems do not facilitate simultaneous use with lower back support devices, such as weight belts used by weight lifters, wherein the holster belt must be worn around the shooter's waist for quick weapon accessibility preempting the use of back support belts.
An additional problem with typical holster systems noted by officers and competition shooters is the lack of stability provided to the actual gun holster. Movement in the holster impairs weapon accessibility when the hand reaches for the gun, produces undesired holster movement as the shooter is running or getting into position and imposes a drag force on the gun as it is being drawn. By providing a virtually motionless holster, mobility of the shooter can be improved and draw times can be decreased by several tenths of a second. Although a fraction of a second may seem negligible, it can make the difference to a competition shooter in winning a competition, and more importantly, to saving an officer's life. Therefore, a support platform capable of stabilizing a shooter's gun holster while supporting their lower back would be well received.
Several holster systems and utility belts exist in the background art, none of which provides or suggest a structure for increasing the stability of a belt holster system while providing therapeutic back support to a shooter's lumbar region. Some of the conventional belt devices known provide support for the pants and exterior holster system attachments, but they do not integrate the functions of a back support belt and holster stabilizing platform. Other support belts perform a broad range of functions which may include supporting the back, but these belts do not simultaneously immobilize a gun holster and protect the lower back. For example, Schue, U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,448, discloses a utility belt for construction workers comprising an elongated belt having a wide mid portion for back support, a buckle mounted on one end and a pair of slots formed along the longitudinal axis of the belt for receiving and hanging a pair of slidable pouches. Kalisher, U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,231, teaches a tackle box belt comprising a waist belt to which a plurality of pockets and loop hangers are mounted for carrying fishing accessories. Remington, U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,310, discloses a center of gravity holster which supports a pistol holster within the small of the back to conceal the weapon while maintaining access thereto. Trumpower, II, U.S. Pat. No. 4,747,527, teaches a utility belt formed from an elongated strip of plastic material having trim molding, open cell foam lining and a plurality of snap lock assemblies for attaching tool holders. Finally, Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,573 discloses a support belt having two layers of elongated rectangular panels housing therebetween a semi-rigid cushion extension pad with a V-shaped groove for protecting the lumbar region of the back and a strap and buckle system. By contrast, the present invention provides 360.degree. of hook and loop fastener disposed on a stable platform that immobilizes a holster to increase gun draw speed while supporting the lower back to prevent back injuries and discomfort.
The above noted background art neither solves nor addresses the problems contemplated by the present invention. Therefore, their remains a need for a support belt capable of preventing lower back injuries while decreasing pistol draw time for police officers, competition shooters, etc. The present invention solves these problems by providing a support holster system which provides a stable rigid body for supporting the lower back and a fastener design for securely fastening and immobilizing a holster system.